Actor’s son faces strict penalties in China’s anti-drug crackdown

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Director Kenneth Bi (L) and actor Jaycee Chan arrive at the “The Drummer” premiere held at Egyptian Theatre during the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 24. Getty Images.

Hong Kong (CNN) — The 32-year-old son of actor and kung fu star Jackie Chan has been arrested in Beijing on drugs charges, as authorities clamp down on celebrity offenders.

Police say they detained Jaycee Chan, who is originally from Hong Kong and also an actor, as well as Kai Ko, a 23-year-old Taiwanese actor, during a raid on Thursday in Dongcheng district, the city’s commercial and cultural center, state media, citing Beijing police, said Tuesday.

Both men tested positive for marijuana.

Police later found more than 100 grams of the drug after searching Chan’s apartment. He was also accused of “hosting others to take drugs,” the state-run China Daily said. He could face three years in jail under Chinese law.

State broadcaster CCTV aired footage of Chan, his face blurred, showing police where the drugs were hidden at his home, while Ko was shown making a tearful apology.

“I very much regret about what happened. I’m very sorry to those who support me, like me or even know me personally,” he said. “I just want to tell them I’m really sorry. I’ve set the worst example, which had the most terrible influence. And this is a huge mistake.”

Celebrity targets

The two actors are being seen as the targets of the capital’s latest anti-drugs campaign, which has seen more than 7,000 people detained for using drugs, a 72% year-on-year increase, according to the China Daily.

Celebrities are increasingly in the spotlight, with a number of high-profile arrests over drug-related incidents in recent months, including popular movie actor Zhang Mo and singer Li Daimo, who was actually sentenced to nine months in jail for hosting a crystal meth party at his home, according to the China Daily.

Earlier this month, dozens of management agencies representing performers in the entertainment industry signed an agreement with Beijing authorities banning drug use from the industry and pledging to sack artists who break the law.

The elder Chan, who has starred in a number of Hollywood movies including “Rush Hour” and “The Karate Kid,” has actually campaigned against drug use, and was named an anti-drugs ambassador in China in 2009.